Article created July 25th 2009 at 13:10
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Windows Setup: Setup did not find any hard disk drives…

HD_256x256Description

After booting from the Windows XP setup CD the blue setup screen appears and goes the through the usual process of installing it’s drivers.

When you reach the Welcome Screen and choose to install Windows you are presented with the error “Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer” similar to the screenshot below.

Symptoms

  • You are presented with the error message: Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer at the point in the setup where you are asked to press ENTER to “setup Windows XP now”
  • You are presented with the error message Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer after pressing ‘R‘ to “repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console”

Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer

 

Explanation

This error will appear most often when your hard disk is on an SATA or SCSI controller and Windows setup does not have a suitable driver. In most cases these days you won’t have a floppy disk either to load the drivers. There are a few ways to deal with this ranging from the very simple (hopefully says you!) to the long and somewhat difficult. See the solutions below for more.

Solution

Step 1 – Set Your SATA Controller to Compatability/IDE/Standard Mode

  1. Enter your BIOS/Setup Utility

    2.  

    A helpful tip. If you don’t know how to get into your BIOS check out this site

     

  2. Locate the Serial ATA or SATA configuration section
    • I’ve seen this section called ‘On Chip Config’ on some Phoenix Award BIOS
    • On Lenovo/IBM ThinkPads it’s in Config > Serial ATA (Sata)
  3. Change the mode of the SATA controller from AHCI to IDE or Compatibility
  4. Save & Exit
  5. Reboot and begin the Windows Setup again.
  6. If Windows Setup successfully detects your hard disk this time then go ahead and perform the Windows Setup.
  7. When Windows setup completes change the mode back to AHCI in the BIOS
  8. If your problem still exists after changing this option then change it back to AHCI and proceed to Solution 2 below.

Step 2 – Load your SATA drivers using a Floppy Disk

  1. If you already have a floppy disk drive in your computer then great, proceed to Step 2. If you don’t, click here to get one
  2. Go to either your computer manufacturers support website or if you have a custom build then go to your mainboards manufacturers support website and download the SATA driver package. Some popular manuafacturers are listed below:
  3. Extract the downloaded driver to a blank floppy disk
  4. DO NOT insert the floppy disk into the computer that you are attempting to run Windows Setup on
  5. Insert your Windows XP CD and start your computer, press any key to boot from CD if requested
  6. As soon as the blue setup screen appears press F6 on your keyboard. The message to press F6 will disappear and be replaced by a message requesting you to press F2 for ASR. Do NOT press F2.
  7. After the “Setup is loading files” part is complete you will be presented with the screen below
  8. Insert the floppy disk you created and press S to Specify Additional Device. Windows will load your driver and you can now continue Windows Setup as normal.

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Tags: boot, recover, Solutions, startup, Windows, xp
Created in Solutions, Windows, Windows XP

23 Responses to “Windows Setup: Setup did not find any hard disk drives…”


  • Comment fromSaurabh Sood
    Posted at: August 24, 2009 at 16:12

    Thanks for the post.
    Very useful info.
    I solved my problem by reading it.
    Cheers!!
    Saurabh

  • Comment fromTHE DINI
    Posted at: September 14, 2009 at 00:30

    Worked for me on an HP Compaq nx7400 when i was trying to put in a new 320GB HD.

    THANKS SO MUCH!!!

  • Comment fromPC Arbor
    Posted at: September 18, 2009 at 04:26

    Interesting.

    Times are a changing.

    I like XP but it can be tough to fix sometimes. (But it is still easier for me to understand than NT!)

    Thanks for posting.

  • Comment fromPC Arbor
    Posted at: September 18, 2009 at 05:13

    Saw this during my Thursday night web searches. Amazing what stuff you can find doing a search XP repair ideas.
    Kind of caught me off guard.

    Thanks for posting.

  • Comment fromJaye
    Posted at: September 28, 2009 at 18:43

    Hey man, good post but It doesnt work for me because i dont have that option in my BIOS i have phoenix version f.38, any ideas?

  • Comment fromRosco
    Posted at: September 28, 2009 at 18:59

    HI Jaye,

    Try the following:

    In BIOS:

    Onboard Devices -> Flash Cache Module -> Set Off
    Onboard Devices -> SATA Operation -> Set ATA

    Let me know it works as I will update the article.

    Cheers

    Rosco

  • Comment fromSam
    Posted at: October 1, 2009 at 22:00

    I have the similar problem, i found this article via google, I am stuck just like this same problem, I am going to try this method and let you all know if it works, Thankyou

  • Comment fromSam
    Posted at: October 6, 2009 at 18:30

    GOOD NEWS, yep it worked i tryed the first method, where i needed to change the option
    AHCI to IDE, than it worked, but when i go back to change it after installtion, and restarted the pc, it doesnt load the OS anymore, i guess i would have to keep it on IDE option

    i installed Microsoft Windows XP XP3 in my Acer Aspire 5720z Laptop, All GOOD

    THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIPS AND TRICKS, it worekd flawlessly.

  • Comment fromKen
    Posted at: October 31, 2009 at 03:58

    For step 1, I can’t find those settings in my BIOS… I have Phoenix 75.06…. Help please?

  • Comment fromthx4help
    Posted at: November 9, 2009 at 15:15

    Worked great. Ty for taking the time to post this great info.

  • Comment fromKen
    Posted at: November 10, 2009 at 03:05

    Again, I really need help. I need this computer being I’m starting college at the end of this semester, and I don’t have the money for a new one right now.

    Like I said, for step 1, I can’t find the settings you mentioned in the BIOS…..My BIOS are Phoenix 75.06. Help, please.

  • Comment fromedifier
    Posted at: December 3, 2009 at 03:14

    thanx it work!!! I just change the AHCI to IDE then I save then REBOOT….. thanx…

  • Comment fromhOU
    Posted at: December 7, 2009 at 14:38

    Worked for me on Acer Aspire One. Thanks a lot.

  • Comment fromKevin
    Posted at: December 9, 2009 at 14:21

    changing the sata from ACHI to IDE in my BIOS worked for me. thanks you!!!!!!!! (installing win 7)

  • Comment frommi
    Posted at: February 9, 2010 at 20:48

    Hello !
    Couldn’t find these settings in my BIOS. I have a HD Toshiba MK4018gas-(pm).
    Thanks for helping.

  • Comment fromKeith
    Posted at: February 20, 2010 at 19:50

    Fair play brilliant work sir. Had me baffled for a couple of days now.

    Cheers

    K

  • Comment fromKolynz
    Posted at: March 28, 2010 at 16:38

    Hey , i have faced this problem majorly on toshiba machines but never solved any…
    now the floppy disk drive you talk about is not available on these laptops…
    in this case, can i use a disk to extract these drivers?

    i mean like a memory stick that uses usb..
    thanks big.

  • Comment fromMowali
    Posted at: April 6, 2010 at 17:23

    First one solved my problem – working on a lenovo :) . Thank you alot.

  • Comment fromken
    Posted at: April 10, 2010 at 08:34

    Thanks! Changing Sata settings in BIOS worked with my Lenovo T61 and solved the problem. Great post!

  • Comment fromJohn
    Posted at: April 20, 2010 at 05:13

    Hey, Thanks a lot buddy!
    I’m not so good with computers and was having trouble with this for a long time. It really helped a lot ^_^.

  • Comment fromDan
    Posted at: April 30, 2010 at 12:50

    Many thanks!! Step 1 solve my problem on a Acer Aspire ONE! :)

  • Comment fromUri
    Posted at: May 2, 2010 at 09:33

    Perfect .. thanks for the lead. Have an HP and only had an option to Disable SATA Native support from BIOS but it worked a treat.

  • Comment fromJason Egan
    Posted at: July 19, 2010 at 16:25

    Thank you so much! I am working with an older IBM Thinkpad (Levono x60) and after I ran Active Killdisk and tried to load it with WinXPSP3, I got the same error. Setting the SATA config to Compatibility mode worked like a charm! I love the internet!


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